Table 1.
Clinical characteristics and results of US imaging and pathologic assessments of the patients.
| Category | N (%) | US suspicious CLN |
|---|---|---|
| All | 172 | 74 (43.0%) |
| Sex | ||
| Female | 142 (82.0%) | 56 (75.7) |
| Male | 31 (18.0%) | 18 (24.3) |
| Age (mean ± SD) (year) | 48.32 ± 10.59 | 47.62 ± 12.06 |
| Age group | ||
| Group 1 age <45 | 57 (33.1) | 26 (35.1) |
| Group 2 45 ≥ age > 55 | 63 (36.6) | 28 (37.8) |
| Group 3 age ≥ 55 | 52 (30.2) | 20 (27.0) |
| Preoperative US TI-RADS grade | ||
| 3 | 10 (5.8%) | 3 (4.1) |
| 4a | 42 (24.4%) | 18 (24.3) |
| 4b | 77 (44.8%) | 33 (44.6) |
| 4c | 1 (0.6%) | 0 |
| 5 | 41 (23.8%) | 19 (25.7) |
| 6 | 1 (0.6%) | 1 (1.4) |
| Tumor site | ||
| Unifocal | 121 (70.3%) | 49 (66.2) |
| Double or multifocal | 51 (29.7%) | 25 (33.8) |
| The max diameter (mean ± SD) | 5.68 ± 2.48 mm | 5.95 ± 2.32 mm |
| US capsular invasion | 50 (29.1%) | 31 (41.9) |
| US microcalcification | 101 (58.7%) | 48 (64.9) |
| Postoperative pathologic results | ||
| Unifocal | 121 (70.3) | 49 (66.2) |
| Double or multifocal | 51 (29.7) | 25 (33.8) |
| Capsule invasion | 74 (43.0) | 31 (41.9) |
| Nerve invasion | 5 (2.9) | 4 (5.4) |
| Fewer than 5 CLNM | 164 (95.3) | – |
| Co-exist thyroid goiter | 73 (42.4) | 23 (31.1) |
| Co-exist Hashimoto thyroiditis | 55 (32.0) | 28 (37.8) |
| Complications | ||
| Recurrent nerve palsy | 0 | |
| Temporary hypoparathyroidism | 9 (5.2) | |
| Permanent hypoparathyroidism | 2 (1.2) |